Gas or vapor electric apparatus.



No. 770,233. PATENTED SEPT. 13, 1904.

P. C. HEWITT.

GAS OR VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

APPLICATION TILED JUNE 10, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

Winesses:

Patented September 13, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIQE.

PETER COOPER HEWITT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

GAS OR VAPOR ELECTRIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 770,233, dated September 13, 1904.

Original application filed February 12, 1902, Serial No. 93,762. Divided and this application filed June 10, 1903. Serial IT0.16O,883x (N0 model.)

To all whom, it nearly concern:

Be it known that 1, PETER COOPER HEWITT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, county of New York, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inGas or Vapor Electric Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the class of vapor or gas electric lamps described in certain patents heretofore issued-to me-such, for instance, as those issued on the 17th day of Sep tember, 1901.

As has been explained in certain of the patents issued to me, the greatest resistance to starting appears to be located at or about the negative electrode, and I have employed various means for providing an initial breaking down or removing of this resistance, whereupon current will traverse the lamp under the influence of a lower difference of potential than that normally required for starting it.

The object of my present invention is to provide a means for reducing the initial resistance to starting which appears at or about the negative electrode.

In my experiments I have noted the fact that after the initial negative-electrode resistance has been broken down or removed and during the operation of the lamp the resistance at the negative electrode'is modified by certain phenomena which manifest themselves in a physical manner, as by a flame proceeding from the negative electrode. I have found it advantageous to provide means for removing this flame from the direct path of the current between the electrodes, as it contributes practically nothing to the light-giving capacity of the lamp, but may add to its resistance. This negative flame appears to be identical, in a measure at least, in its behavior with projected matter as produced in Crookes tubes, which on being reflected from a reflector in the tube takes the form of X-rays or negative rays, which are akin to negative rays emitted by certain substances known as radio-active substancessuch, for instance, as uranium and radium.

My invention involves the utilization of a source of negative rays in connection with a lamp of the character referred to in such manner and position as to reduce the negativeelectrode resistance.

The accompanying drawing is a vertical sec tion of a lamp embodying the general features of my invention, showing also the operatingcircuits and the starting apparatus in diagram.

Referring to the drawing, 1 represents the inclosing chamber of the lamp. 2 represents the positive electrode of a continuous-current lamp, which will be described for convenience. This may be of various different materials, but for the present purposes it may be considered to be made of iron or chromium. It is held in its position and connected by means of a leading-in conductor 7, designed to be connected with one side of an electric circuit. The negative electrode is here shown as consisting of a small quantity of mercury, as shown at 5. A conductor 8 leads from this electrode through the wall of the lamp, and means are provided for connecting this conductor with an electric circuit.

In the neighborhood of the negative electrode there is placed a quantity of radio-active material, as indicated at 5, or other substance capable of emitting the so-called negative rays. This material may be placed in a groove or pocket 19, formed in the glass near the electrode 5.

The lamp is connected in circuit with any suitable source of electricity, the conductors 14: and 15 leading therefrom being shown as connected, respectively, with the conductors 7 and 8. -A main switch 30 may be located in one of the main conductors, as 14:.

In instances where the radio-active material is insufficient to entirely overcome or remove the initial negative-electrode resistance by reason of the low voltage used it may be desired to provide some means for impressing an initial potential somewhat higher than that of the operating potential of the lamp. For this purpose a quick-break switch 16 is employed for making an electrical connection through a resistance 17 in shunt to the lamp,

I a reactive coil 18 being connected in the con ductor 14: in such position that current flowing through the shunt-circuit will traverse the reacting device. Upon suddenly breaking this shunt-circuit the reactive device will momentarily impress a higher electromotive force upon the terminals of the lamp. In case, however, the radio-active material employed is sufficient to practically remove the initial negative-electrode resistance, then the device for impressing the initial higher potential will not be required.

In some cases I have found it useful to provide means for removing the static charge of the lamp. This may be conveniently accomplished by placing a band or coating 9, of conducting material, upon the outer surface of the lamp near the negative electrode and connecting this by a separate wire or by a portion of the wire 14, as shown, with the leading-in wire 7 In some cases, however, with the radio-active material this device may not be required.

The rays we have called negative rays need not be considered identical in all respects with the so-called X-rays nor the projected matter produced in Crookes tubes; but the rays which are useful for the purposes of the present invention are akin to the phenomena mentioned.

This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 93,762, filed February 12, 1902.

I claim as my inventionl. The combination with the gaseous portion of a vapor or gas electric apparatus of the character described, of a negative electrode, and a surface of radio-active material in proximity to the point of contact between the gas or vapor and the negative electrode.

2. The combination with an inclosed vapor or gas apparatus of the character described, of a resistance reducing or removing means consisting of radio -active material located within the inclosure.

3. The combination with a vapor or gas apparatus of the character described, of a negative electrode in the apparatus, and a resistance reducing or removing means, consisting of radium located in proximity to the point of contact between the gas or vapor and the negative electrode. v

4. The combination with an inclosed gas or Vapor device in which the gas or vapor forms a portion of a conducting-body, of a solid electrode therefor, and a source of negative.

rays located in proximity to the point of contact between the gas or vapor and the negative electrode.

5. The combination with a composite conductor, consisting of a solid and a gaseous portion, of a source of negative rays located at the junction of the gaseous portion with the solid portion.

6. The combination with a composite conductor, consisting of a solid and a gaseous portion, of an electrode, and a source of negative rays located in the vicinity of one terminal of the gaseous portion in such position as to project the rays into the region where the gaseous portion of the conductor contacts with the electrode.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 1st day of June, A. D. 1903.

PETER COOPER HEWITT.

Witnesses:

WM. H. OAPEL, GEORGE H. STooKBRIDeE. 

